What We Can Learn From Death
By now most people know that the great Professor Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76, several decades after he was given a couple of years to live after contracting a rare motor neurone disease. Now, there is probably no one who does not know of Professor Hawking’s accomplishments, but I his death got me thinking.
When we look at good mental health, one thing that seems to be needed and common in those who display it, it is a life purpose. When we have a life purpose we tend to have focus, drive and a goal. These are things which allow us to be creative and at our best in terms of who we are.
It is impossible to say how Professor Hawkins defied his original bleak couple of years of life diagnosis, but I have a suspicion that he defied it because he had a purpose and he was going to see it through no matter his health. There is certainly anecdotal evidence that this happens, people get cancer diagnoses and are told they have months or a few years to live and yet they have a goal like seeing grandchildren or a child’s marriage and against the odds the person lives to see it.
So perhaps we could all do with being like Professor Hawking and have a purpose that keeps us positive despite what life throws at us and who knows maybe we might even live that little bit longer.
